Chapter 10 -- Weinstein

This chapter in Classroom Management has been a great follow up to last weeks instructional conversation discssion. Chapter 10 provides examples, details, and instructions to what to avoid in a recitation. Recitation is what last weeks discussion touched on to avoid. What frustrated me was the that recitation is still beneficial. I feel that in a classroom that has a strong community recitation can provide the best assessment for various lessons, or check for comprehension. I feel that Barbara's example of her recitation/discussion and her reflection is a great tool for teachers to look at. I enjoyed this example because it was a recitation, but Barbara made contact with 12 different students in her brief interaction. She was able to do what recitations usually do not and that is maintain a relatively high attention level; she was able to keep the students engaged. I especially enjoyed the reflection after. Barbara gives reason for holding a recitation. She explains that she wanted spefic information from her students and she wanted to avoid just standing in front of the room telling. Barbara also explains that she asked questions that she was unsure students would be able to answer such as questions about World War II and New Zeeland. These questions were answered by students, but Barbara had taken her chance with the questions hoping to get the students thinking beyond the text. I find that my CT attempts at taking students beyond the text and holding class discussions. I am in a second grade class and keeping second graders on task in a discussion is a tough thing to do therefore my CT is consistently invovled. After reading about Barbaras recitation I can definitly connecet my field placement to her example. I am now able to say that my CT holds a successful recitation rather than an attempt for discussion. I feel that my CT does what works for her students. She presents them with questions and students participate. She is not looking for spefic questions just trying to get the students thinking about the text. After reading chapter 10 of Weinstein I have marked notes and spefic things I would like to observe in my field placement. One of those is the study about girls vs. boys in recitations and whether there is a difference in participation; whether there is a difference in gender and the discourse style.